The 12th Round: 2N1D: Two Nations One Dream – Boxing Without Borders

By Mauricio Sulaiman
WBC President – Jose Sulaiman’s son

Once again boxing is with sadness, mourning the passing of another icon. Aaron “The Hawk” Pryor passed away and is now flying free into eternity. Pryor will be remembered as a warrior who gave boxing fans around the world memorable fights.

This past week was very active. We held two purse bids for the heavyweight division. The WBC interim heavyweight championship was won by World of Boxing with $3.165 million for the Povetkin vs. Stiverne match, while Salvatore Cherchi of Opi2000 secured the promotion of the Duhaupas vs. Takam silver title fight. The WBC team enjoyed a memorable dinner with all of the promoters who traveled to New York for the bid process. Don King and Don Majeski shared many stories, and it was all smiles as we all left that night.

I arrived in Chicago where several events for the 2N1D program took place and before going into details of the program, I wanted to also share my experience at the Horseshoe Casino in Indiana, as we all went to the boxing card promoted by Bobby Hitz. Even when the Chicago Cubs played at the same time of the card, it was a nice, loud crowd, and the fights were entertaining. I saw our dear former champion, Oliver McCall, who is looking very good. I spent time with boxing managers Wasif and Irena and many members of the Illinois boxing community. Bobby Hitz is a hard-working, decent promoter who continues to put on boxing shows to keep the sport alive in his area. We were hosted with great hospitality and had a very nice time watching the fights as fans!

The WBC is working together with the Secretary of Foreign affairs in Mexico, The Honorable Claudia Ruiz Massieu, through the Mexican Institute of Immigration, and the Mexican Consulate in Chicago represented by Mr. Carlos Jimenez Macias. We all have jointly designed and implemented this historic program, which is being run in Chicago, Mexico City, and Acapulco. The program consists of three months of activities, which include 36 boxing training sessions, six awareness symposiums, six community events, and a variety of opportunities to use boxing as a way to find the pride and potential in these kids with the hopes of becoming someone in life, in boxing or any other area where they might be successful.

The passionate dedication of our WBC ambassadors and our pride – the former champions participating in the program – include, among others: David Diaz, former WBC lightweight champion from Chicago; Erik Morales, a WBC champion in four weight divisions; Marcos Villasana, the former WBC super feather champion from Acapulco; and Carlos Zarate, the former WBC bantamweight champion from Mexico City. Many other fighters are participating including Carlos Cuadras, Fres Oquendo, Humberto “Chiquita” Gonzalez, Adrian Granados, Montell Griffin, and many, many more.

We are going to the roots and foundations of boxing and society. The families are participating, the communities are participating, and the kids are performing. It is very gratifying to see the tremendous work that is being put into the training sessions, the attention to the awareness and motivational speeches which are touching delicate topics such as alcohol and drugs, bullying, texting while driving, STD’s, etc.

Reyes and Everlast are both actively participating, as well as members of the WBC family from many areas. In essence, the program is a great success and we plan to continue the format in other cities and countries. Secretary of Foreign Affairs Claudia Ruiz Massieu is an example of how to support programs that work and make a difference. The lives of all those kids, their families, and neighbors are being touched and will certainly be influenced for a better future. This past Sunday, the remodeling and installation of equipment official opening took place, and over 300 members of the community gathered to be part of this special day.

On Saturday I had the pleasure and honor to talk to all of them and during my participation, I asked them to share their dreams. They all had something in common regarding boxing – to win a medal in Tokyo in 2020, and then to become world champions and win the GREEN belt. Not surprisingly, they all also had something in common about their dreams outside of boxing. They all want to serve in another profession as doctors, policemen, and even FBI agents. They all want to serve others as a way of living.

While we are doing this program we have gotten to see how the members of the boxing community become united. Here, there is no ego or power struggle – this is for the kids and their future. There is no room for threats and abuse by AIBA affiliates USA Boxing and Federacion Mexicana de Boxeo Amateur. Everybody is working together and participating as one to make this a reality.

Boxing belongs to the people who need the sport to find a way into a successful life. Boxing is a partner to government entities in fighting against the problems in society, including fighting addictions and vandalism, bringing families and communities together towards something positive. It battles obesity and leads to healthy living.

Kids from the 2N1D in Mexico City visited the “House of our Grandfather” with Pipino Cuevas and Lupe Pintor last week (left).

I am personally dedicated to looking into the many problems existing in so many countries with regards to amateur boxing. The AIBA regime has become a threat to the structure and platform of amateur boxing in most countries. In fact, AIBA itself claims that “amateur” boxing no longer exists! With the tremendous failure in the Rio Olympics with the officiating scandals and the absolute rejection by the boxing community to allow professionals in Olympics, we can only hope that AIBA will turn the page and go back to basics. AIBA has in its hands the structure of boxing for amateurs worldwide, but has become distracted in trying to rule and control boxing worldwide in all of its forms. They want to eliminate the boxing promoters of the world and be the promoters, managers, sanctioning organizations, etc., themselves.

AIBA must go back to basics and run AMATEUR boxing in the world and organize the Olympic competition. That is plenty of work in itself. They don’t need to be looking to be promoters or to try to control professional boxing.

Boxing will always exist and it will take care of itself, regardless. We all can make it better and safer. Boxing needs to exist and is the greatest, most noble, and honorable sport in the world.

LONG LIVE BOXING!

Thank you and I welcome any comments, suggestions or recommendations at contact@wbcboxing.com.

Photos courtesy WBC